A new law aimed at better protecting pedestrians as they attempt to cross the street goes into effect today. And as for Turlock’s congested downtown parking areas, there shouldn’t be too much to worry about.
California’s new daylighting law — Assembly Bill 413, which was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom back in 2023 — prohibits cars from stopping, standing, or parking near crosswalks in order to make pedestrians using the crosswalks more visible to drivers. It will be illegal to do so whether or not curbs are painted red or the road is painted with crosswalk markings.
The daylighting law only prohibits parking next to a crosswalk on the “approach side” of an intersection. In other words, the nose of your vehicle is not allowed within 20 feet immediately before a crosswalk. However, if you’re on the other side of the street, headed the other direction, the tail end of your car would be allowed within 20 feet of that same crosswalk. Confused? Try thinking about it from the pedestrian’s point of view. Imagine you’re trying to cross a busy street, and you’re about to leave the curb and step into the crosswalk. To do so, you have to peek around a vehicle a couple feet to your left. The car you’re peeking around should be at least 20 feet to your left, and is in violation of the daylighting law.
Main Street, the main artery in Turlock’s busy downtown district, is not only equipped with angled parking slots from Palm Street to Market Street, but the sidewalks are constructed with jutting curbs that make it impossible to park within 20 feet of a crosswalk.
On the adjacent streets in the downtown area, most curbs already are painted red within 20 feet of crosswalks.
The bill passed on completely partisan lines, with no Democrats voting against the bill and no Republicans — including District 22 Assemblymember Juan Alanis (R-Modesto) — voting for it.
On the senate side, Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson), at the time a member of the Democratic Party, was absent and did not cast a vote.
According to the California Bicycle Coalition, the primary opposition to AB 413 came from the trucking industry, with the legislation banning short-term as well as long-term parking next to crosswalks, which reduces the space available for loading and making deliveries.